Dr. Mohamed Muizzu, the presidential candidate representing the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) and the People's National Congress (PNC), has secured victory in the Maldives' presidential election.
In the first round of the election held on September 9, Dr. Muizzu emerged as the leading contender against seven others with 46.06 percent of the vote, while incumbent President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih received the second-highest number of votes with 39 percent. In the second round held today, Dr. Muizzu maintained his lead and ultimately secured victory with 53.8 percent of the vote, while President Solih received 46.2 percent.
A brief introduction to Dr. Muizzu
Dr. Mohamed Muizzu was born on June 15, 1978. He is currently 45 years old. He is the son of the distinguished religious scholar and judge, the late Sheikh Hussain Abdul Rahman.
Dr. Muizzu, the sole son of Sheikh Hussain, has consistently excelled in his academic pursuits, receiving top marks in education. He obtained his first degree and master's degree in Structural Engineering at UK's University of London. Later, he earned his Ph.D. in Civil Engineering from the University of Leeds.
Dr. Muizzu embarked on his political journey with the Adhaalath Party. He gained public recognition when he was appointed as the Housing Minister during the tenure of former President Mohamed Waheed. When President Abdulla Yameen assumed office in 2013, he reappointed Muizzu as the Housing Minister, this time under the banner of the Maldives Development Alliance (MDA). He served as the Housing Minister from November 17, 2013, to November 17, 2018.
When President Yameen's tenure ended, Dr. Muizzu contested the local council election for the Male' Mayor seat, a city that was predominantly a stronghold of the main-ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP). Surprisingly, Muizzu secured victory in the mayoral race, marking a historic win for the opposition PPM-PNC. He also achieved a clear majority in the Male' City Council. Since his election as Mayor of the city in April 2021, Dr. Muizzu has continued to hold this position.
An overview of Muizzu's services
Dr. Muizzu played a pivotal role in spearheading several major development initiatives in the Maldives. Land was dredged from Hulhumale' to construct the 7000-unit Hiyaa housing project under his ministership, and he oversaw the construction of the Maldives' first overwater bridge linking Male', Hulhule', and Hulhumale. He also oversaw the development of Velana International Airport and the construction of the longest link road in the Maldives, situated in Laamu Atoll.
While serving as the Mayor of the Male' city, Dr. Muizzu worked to address urban issues and modernize Male' City. Despite facing challenges in implementing these projects due to a lack of government cooperation, he successfully completed the planning processes for these initiatives,
Under efforts to address issues with Male' City roads, Dr. Muizzu introduced street watchers, officials responsible for patrolling the streets and overseeing various road repairs. He also undertook efforts to beautify parks and decorate the city for national celebrations and special occasions.
Winning the presidential ticket
Dr. Muizzu won the presidential ticket for the PPM-PNC coalition after navigating a complex political landscape within the coalition. With the PPM's initial candidate, former President Yameen, deemed ineligible to contest the election due to an 11-year sentence for money laundering and bribery, the PPM had no choice but to field another candidate under its sister party, the PNC.
Muizzu made strategic decisions at critical junctures, ultimately clinching the PPM-PNC presidential nomination at a late stage. Muizzu's PPM membership was abruptly changed to PNC after the PPM started postponing the nomination of a presidential candidate. Muizzu moved to the PNC after serving as the PPM Vice President.
On August 3, 2023, Muizzu officially joined the PNC and, on the same day, emerged victorious in the party's presidential primary against PNC Parliamentary Group Leader Adam Shareef Umar. Muizzu secured the PNC presidential nomination with the support of 25 out of 48 members of the party council, while his opponent, Adam Shareef, received 23 votes. His nomination form was submitted to the Elections Commission on August 7, which was promptly accepted by the commission on the same day.
Dr. Muizzu is set to be inaugurated as the eighth President of the Maldives, with his vice president-elect being Faresmathoda MP Hussain Mohamed Latheef. The inauguration ceremony is scheduled for November 11, 2023.